Letters to the editor on Treece, Biden-Ryan debate, school lunches, Eagle fairness, cartoon variety, national anthem

I have to disagree with “Contaminated town of Treece no longer exists” (Sept. 28 Eagle). I’m 86 years old and grew up in Treece from 1926 to 1947. I loved Treece very much, and this was during the “Dirty ‘30s” and the Great Depression.

I have to disagree with “Contaminated town of Treece no longer exists” (Sept. 28 Eagle). I’m 86 years old and grew up in Treece from 1926 to 1947. I loved Treece very much, and this was during the “Dirty ‘30s” and the Great Depression.

Treece still exists in my mind and always will. I will always call it my hometown.

I’ll remember Treece, where the kids made their own entertainment. I’ll remember Treece with the Old Sand Drag, just north of town. I’ll remember Treece with the sound of mine whistles at 4 p.m. Then about 4:30 p.m. you would hear the explosions in the mines, loosening up the mineral for the next day’s work.

I’ll remember Treece’s drugstore, 5- and 10-cent store, a bank, a movie theater, several grocery stores, a pool hall, two barbershops, a hardware store, a restaurant, a hotel, at least two filling stations and garages, a lumberyard, a beer joint, and a great school with the best teachers.

Treece is no longer on the map, but it still exists in my memory. And when I’m in the area, I will go back to see what has happened to Treece.

HAROLD HILL

Wichita

Separate faith

I watched the vice presidential debate between Joe Biden and Paul Ryan. Both men are Roman Catholics, as am I.

Young Rep. Ryan normally toes the hard-Catholic doctrine that a person cannot separate one’s private life from one’s public life in regard to public policy decision making. I am glad that Vice President Biden correctly noted that individual personal faith can shape values or morals, but that he serves in a federal office where “liberty and justice for all” extends to people of other faiths.

Well-intentioned religious guidance can easily spill over into a religious dictatorship. Granted, we are a nation built on Judeo-Christian principles and traditions; however, our Founding Fathers did not want to see our citizens shackled into a totalitarian religious mindset, nor be coerced into marching in lockstep against their own free will and accord.

We can keep genuinely sincere religious faith in our hearts without making it a gaudy or oppressive billboard in the public square.

JAMES A. MARPLES

Esbon

Need more food

Coming back to school and finding out that we weren’t having the same menu or serving sizes as last year was very frustrating for high school teens. I am all for adding more fruits and vegetables into our diet. But what about the kids who have free or reduced-price lunches because that’s all that they can afford? The only meal they get may be a hot lunch from school. And now they’re receiving less, and they can’t do anything about it.

And what about the athletes who have practice after school? We’re all heading to the vending machines to get more food. We need more energy from food because we’re burning it all off during practice.

I can almost guarantee that the a la carte section at our school has never had more business. The idea about healthful lunches was good, but the way it was handled was all wrong.

ALEXIS ZAVALA

Wellington

Fair news

Regarding “Missing news” (Oct. 12 Letters to the Editor): The Eagle provides both liberal and conservative columnists, political cartoons, and a pro-con feature on certain issues, and letters to the editor and Opinion Line comments encompass both liberal and conservative views. On any given day, the news may not be balanced, but it certainly is a fair representation for that day. The next day may seem weighted to the “other” side’s view of things.

Wichita is fortunate to have The Eagle.

JOHN R. MAXWELL

Wichita

Cartoon variety

Is The Eagle big enough to hire another local editorial cartoonist? Not a replacement for Richard Crowson. Just another artist so that The Eagle’s local editorial cartoon offerings are balanced.

Crowson’s are certainly not balanced. Except for rare occasions when the cartoons are neither liberal nor conservative, they are always liberal and lately, anti-Gov. Sam Brownback.

Although I am conservative, I am no fan of Brownback. But how about a little variety? At least we might see Crowson bash Brownback one week, then see another artist with some imagination bash someone else the next. Then back to Crowson bashing Brownback, then a week of imagination, and so on.

STEVE WEST

Colwich

Anthem shame

Once again I was embarrassed, as you should be, by the singing of our national anthem before the St. Louis Cardinals/San Francisco Giants baseball game Sunday. The organizers of these sporting events should make sure the entertainers they ask to sing are going to sing the anthem as it was intended.

Have we citizens of this great country no pride? A 16-year-old girl from a local high school would sing it much better, without adding words, forgetting words, being out of tune or grabbing her crotch. Have we no shame?

It is our national anthem. It represents us and our flag. Stand up and let these people know how you feel.